The Older IGet,the Better I Was
By
Rickey Dale Crain and Donald Neil Crain
As we age and get older, there becomes a problem of muscle loss.For most people this is not a problem as they give little thought to it, but for athletes who continue to compete it isn’t a pretty sight or experience.
I have studied the over 35 aged lifter for sometime now, as we have trained many of these in the past 15-20 years. As my brother and I are one, it has become more important to learn about it. I have for many years looked at my father and his seemingly ageless wonders of workout partners, train and glean some observational material from them, which I now pass along.
We will take a look at this positive no nonsense simple approach. The term K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) really comes into play as you age.
There are three basic forms of exercise a person has to choose from, regardless of age.
- Recreational exercise – Walking, golfing, bowling, pool, badminton, softball, baseball, volleyball, etc. These have less in the way of strength or cardiovascular value. Their main use is social pleasure.
- Endurance exercise – Jogging, running, bike riding, swimming, machine exercise with high reps, down hill and cross country skiing, tennis, basketball, etc. The benefits of these are cardiovascular with slight strength and muscle endurance benefits.
- Strength exercise – Mountain biking, mountain climbing, variable resistance
exercise with free weights and machines, sprints, etc. These strengthen
muscles, ligaments, tendons, cartilage and bones. Some of these have limited
strength and muscle size capability, but the variable weight resistance
exercises have almost unlimited potential in muscle size and strength
benefits. It also can have excellent cardiovascular effects as well.
Donald Neil Crain at age 54
The best all around discipline of the three forms of exercises to encompass the most benefits is weight training. It is the only discipline that can be tailored to fit any level of experience from beginner to professional that will combine strength, cardio endurance, muscular endurance, flexibility and fitness, all in one package.
There are three possible goals available with progressive resistance weight training and they apply to all ages.
1. Fitness (including muscle tone, flexibility and fat removal) and health.
2. Muscle building (size, shape and definition)
3. Strength building (includes explosive power and muscle size)
Even though the goals and training methods are similar there are important differences.
Randy Lee Crain at age 48
Let us look at some of these to help us in our positive approach to this increasing overall strength in the over 35 crowd.
1. The bible says in Psalm 139:14 "we are fearfully and wonderfully made ".
2. All the cells in the body except some in the bones are renewed regularly and are less than 6 months old.
3. A muscular, low-fat body indicates an inner circulatory , respiratory, eliminatory system that has been fined tuned.
4. Strength and health are possible at any age.
5. Be realistic - fat is ugly and dangerous. External fat is evidence of internal fat slowing down all the functions of the body.
Threats and excuses against the above.
1. Body wearing out, (although it will rust out long before it wears out).
2. Too busy.
3. Too old.
4. Too tired.
5. Too lazy.
6. Don't believe it's possible.
7. Too much work to stay in shape.
Physical fitness at any age requires four keys to unlock the physical possibilities within you.
1. Regular, vigorous, heavy exercise.
2. Proper nutrition.
3. A tranquil mind.
4. A positive mental attitude.
You can build muscle size and strength at any age, even into your 70’s and beyond. There are thousands of people worldwide who are maintaining and even improving on an excellent health and fitness level at even advanced ages. Many are still increasing their muscle size and strength and endurance level well into their 60’s and beyond. However, the training methods used have to be constantly modified as you grow older. Organic health is a direct byproduct of heavy exercise. The function of every bodily process is improved as the external muscles are toned, enlarged and strengthened by gradually increasing the exercise workload. The combination of heavier weights, sets and reps works its magic on your internal health as it does on your external appearance and functional capabilities.
The best way to increase your physical capabilities (strength, muscularity, endurance, speed) after the age of 35-40 is by weight training. If you have already been doing this for many years, don't stop after fifty. The years your body needs heavy exercise the most are after fifty.
There are two groups out there, reading this. The first group has been training with resistance exercise for a number of years, and now after 35-40 they are considering tapering off by changing the type of exercise they do, or quitting altogether.
1. To those considering reducing the heavy weight training to a much lighter form of exercise, and thus assuming that cardiovascular work is all they need -consider this. Heavy exercise increases bone density and thus more protection against fractures. Keeping your muscles, tendons, ligaments and vertebra strong is the best protection against injuries as you age. Gradually getting weaker is a sure road to faster aging and ultimately, failure of all body functions, external and internal.
2. To those considering quitting weight training, there are two things you should consider before making a decision. (1) If you take an annual physical and show no health problems, then you can only make one intelligent decision. To stay that way for a long time, you need to keep on with vigorous weight training. (2) If you have some health problems that have appeared, then you must get medical help, and subject to their correction and your Doctor’s approval, gradually resume your weight training. The best form of health insurance for a lifetime is to maintain regular, heavy, weight training, no matter what your genetic background.
In training over the years I have been fortunate in the many places I have traveled and lived to observe, train with, talk to and learn from many of the great bodybuilders, power lifters, Olympic lifters and other strength athletes since the 1950’s. The following information is gleaned from all I have taken in over those many years. I looked at that vast area of information I acquired from these sources and logicallyconcluded to the best of my abilities, that learning and experiencesdictatedthat what I am stating is what I believe to be true.
Rickey Dale Crain - 800 pound squat at age 44 – 165 lb bodyweight
The older you get, the lower your reps (but maintaining 50-60% of max weight) will become, out of necessity. First, the irritation of the joints (i.e. arthritis, etc.) will dictate this. Second, once you lose muscle mass (because of lighter training due to injury or other reasons) it is very difficult to get it back (if you can at all). Up to the age of 35-40, you can get by on periodically going light (less than 40-50%) or taking a short rest. As an older athlete you cannot do this and expect to recover fully. I noticed this in my father, up until he passed away at age 77, both by observation and by what he had told me and did (which confirms it). You need to keep your weight at no less than 50-60% or more of max most of the time (UNLESS you are injured or recovering from an injury). When we were younger we could recycle and drop to 50% and less (or even take off a week or so) and start back up again with no ill effects. If you do this after the age of 40 or so, there willbe more permanent muscle loss than normal because of the age factor. So for the older lifter it is better to do lower reps and higher weight, as much as possible with shorter mini-cycles. One can do some higher rep/volume lifting on a separate day to maintain muscle endurance and size. Never go below 50% unless it is for rehab purposes. My father primarily did singles/doubles and/or triples, never any higher. If the weight drops too low due to higher reps, too much muscle mass and/or strength will be lost, (much of which cannot be recovered). As I get older I am seeing the same thing occur, not only in me but in the many other master age lifters who I train with. Remember to keep the weight up, get your rest from fewer sets and less supplementary work, not less weight.
One also must guard against injuries both small andlarge as well as tendonitis and joint problems. Some observations I have made over the years in my fathers workout partners as well as some of mine (this is in ones who have trained for many years) are:
Exercises that have the weight in front or behind a joint (and not over it) while performing it, will increase the chance of tendonitis dramatically. Exercises such as, lying tricep extensions (skullcrushers), standing tricep extensions (French curls), kickbacks, machine tricep extensions, etc. are an example. Exercises that are overhead movements; such as military presses, press behind neck, seated or standing dumbbell presses, etc., will eventually wear out the rotator cuff or cause shoulder damage, if done long enough. Almost withoutexception every older lifter I know who has done these movements for 20-30 years or longer has rotator cuff damage of some type.
Every exercise I do or recommend is done on a risk vs. benefit scenario. Is the exercise only away to get there quicker irrelevant of the consequences or long term results? Will it cause damage down the road? It is much better to take 3-4 years to accomplish something than 6-12 months and have it come back and bite you when you are 50 years old. I always thought I was invincible. I now know I am not.
“The Older IGet The Better I Was” (and you to can own that shirt for only $12.99)...... but also the fatter you get orI should say the easier it is to get fat. Diet or better yet proper eating habits (the word diet is not a good term)are important in anybody's training regiment but becomes even more important the older you get. One's metabolism slows down the older you get, and the old adage "I can gain weight just by smelling food" seems to come to life. Work on 4-5 smaller meals a day instead of the 2-3 bigger ones. Go for lean meats like chicken, turkey, fish and eggs. Fresh fruits and vegetables and no fruit juices or soft drinks should be the norm. It is simple but effective. You can add in your vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other supplementsand you are on your way. You can pick that one day a week to splurge and no harm will be done. Remembereating "right"is importantno matter what the age. But when you get to be 50-60-70, do you want to look and feel like it???? Below is a sample of a good squat workout for those over 35. Stay Strong!
Progressive Descending Deadlift Workout
15 weeks total
(5 weeks-5 reps/4 weeks-4 reps/3 weeks-3 reps/2 weeks-2 reps/1 week-1 rep)
This routine has become the most popular one I have ever written. It helps a lifter to start light and towards the end of the cycle peak quickly with big numbers. When using thisyou must remember that the numbers you are shooting for must be very reasonable or I ‘’guarantee’’ you ‘’will’’ over train.
Older lifters find this workout cycle easier to do. The reps decrease rapidly, and even though the weight is heavier, it seems to have less stress on the ligaments and tendons and joints, especially if set up with bigger jumps form week to week.
If one ends up peaking too soon, you can just go back a few weeks and start in again, making the weight jumps bigger and get back on track.This is the routine the vast majority of my team now uses for contests; after they have trained for a year or so at basic sets and reps of 5’s and 3’s.
PROGRESSIVE DESCENDING WORKOUT - Deadlift
15 WEEKS - GOAL 530
WEEK 15WEEK 14 WEEK 13
145 X 10 145 X 10 145 X 10
145 X 5 145 X 5 145 X 5
200 X 3 210 X 3 220 X 3
200 X 1 210 X 1 220 X 1
250 X 5 X 5 270 X 5 X 5 290 X 5 X 5
200 X 5 off box 220 X 5off box240 X 5off box
WEEK 12WEEK 11 WEEK 10
145 X 10 145 X 1 145 X 10
145 X 5 145 X 5 145 X 5
230 X 3 235 X 3 235 X 3
230 X 1 235 X 1 235 X 1
310 X 5 X 5 285 X 1 295 X 1
260 X 5 off box 330 X 5 X 5 350 X 4 X 4
280 X 5 off box 300 X 4off box
WEEK 9WEEK 8 WEEK 7
145 X 10 45 X 10 145 X 10
145 X 5 145 X 5 145 X 5
235 X 3 235 X 3 235 X 3
235 X 1 235 X 1 235 X 1
305 X 1 315 X 1 325 X 1
370 X 4 X 4 390 X 4 X 4 410 X 4 X 4
320 X 4 off box 340 X 4off box 360 X 4off box
WEEK 6 WEEK 5 WEEK 4
145 X 10 145 X 10 145 X 10
145 X 5 145 X 5 145 X 5
235 X 3 235 X 3 235 X 3
235 X 1 235 X 1 235 X 1
325 X 1 325 X 1 325 X 1
380 X 1 390 X 1 400 X 1
430 X 3 X 3 450 3 X 3 470 X 3 X 3
380 X 3 off box400 3 off box420 X 3off box
WEEK 3 WEEK 2 WEEK 1
145 X 10 145 X 10 145 X 10
145 X 5 145 X 5 145 X 5
235 X 3 235 X 3 235 X 3
235 X 1 235 X 1 235 X 1
325 X 1 325 X 1 325 X 1
410 X 1 415 X 1 415 X 1
490 X 2 X 2 465 X 1 475 X 1
440 X 2 off box 510 X 2 X 2 530 X 1
460 X 2 off box 480 X 1off box
SUPPLEMENTARY EXERCISES FOR Deadlift
(Supplementary doesn’t mean optional…these are a MUST!)
STEP-UPS (on box-top of thigh almost parallel with ground using 20-30% of deadlift reps)
2-3 sets x 10 reps-each leg
LEG EXTENSIONS2-3 sets x 15 reps cycle, starting with lower weight and
LEG CURLS2-3 sets x 15 reps move up every few weeks
CALF WORK2-3 sets x 25 reps seated or standingoptional or rotate with
other calf work
CALF WORK on leg press 2-3 sets x 15 reps
or DONKEYS off a box2-3 sets x 25 reps
Lat Pulls (to front of chest) 2-3 sets x 15 reps
AB WORK sit-ups* * 2 sets x 33 reps/1 set x 34 reps
side bends* you will finish with a total of 100
leg raise* reps on each exercise
side twists* alternate between the 4 exercises
ALTERNATE AB WORKsit-ups 2-3 sets x 25 repswith a weight behind
your head
leg push downs 2-3 sets x 10 reps/have a workout partner
push down onyour legs. As you lift
against the resistance, make sure it is
even in pressure.
leg raises 2-3 sets X 25/off the end of the bench
press
To sum it all up maximal muscle contraction force and muscle mass are both reduced during the natural aging process. Long term training may be used to attenuate this age-related loss in muscle function, size, strength and endurance.
SO remember that muscle fiber size and mechanical muscle performance are consistently elevated and higher in aged individuals exposed to and participating in strength training. The preservation of such will provide an important physical reserve capacity in retaining muscle mass and function above that threshold of those normally not participating in exercise and strength training at any given particular age.